Container with integral spout



Nov. 3, 1942. c. RAY 2,300,703

CONTAINER WITH INTEGRAL SPOUT Filed May 9, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1' 1 a a; l iv i i s i i i I .55 l h fi5-' i 19 l/ 21 I 64 2 3054? 10 a I! INVENTO,R

A'IITORNEY NOV. 3, 1942. c Y 2,300,703

CONTAINER WITH INTEGRAL SPOUT Filed May 9, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIM INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,300,703 I CONTAINER WITHJNTEGRAL SPOUT Carlo Ray,'Los Angeles Calif. Application May 9, .1941, Serial No. 392,652

9 Claims.

This invention pertains to an improved container provided with an integral collapsible spout adapted for use with materials in a state of 'fine division or with any material in granular or subdivided form capable of being poured or shaken out of a spout. The containers may be made from any suitable bendable material such as, for example, paper or fibre boards, coated papers, cardboard, box stock, or the like. The containers of the present invention appear to be particularly adapted for use with foodstufis such as grated cheese, granulated materials such as sugar, salt, or the like, or freely pouring foodstuffs such as rice, oatmeal, and the like. The containers may, also be used with other granular materials as, for example, granulated soap, cleansing powders, water softeners, etc:

Heretofore paper or fibre board containers adapted for use with materials which wereto be sprinkled or poured out of the container generally included a metal cap or cover which'had to be perforated by the user. Such containers are expensive and once the perforations had been made in the metal top, there was no simple and eifective means provided for closing said perforations and protecting the residual contents of the package from contamination or deterioration due to moisture, absorption, etc.

The present invention contemplates a simple but effective container provided with an integral collapsible spout or selectively operable pouring opening which may be either extended into a spout or collapsed and thereby form a closed package. Moreover, the present invention'i's particularly adaptable to packages of polygonal cross section such as, for example packages which are square, rectangular or hexagonal in crosssec- -tion, such packages being capable of being placed in larger containers (as forexample, in a box) with minimum loss of storage space.

An object of the present inventi'on,therefore. is to disclose and provide a simple and effective container provided with an integral foldable spout.

Another object is to disclose and provide a blank construction which may be readily converted into a container having a selectively operable spout.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of an exemplary form 'of this invention, reference being had to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective three-quarter viewfof and '5.

appended a container.,m ade in accordance with this invention; 3 "Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view ofjthe upper' portion'of thecontainer. in a sifting position... l.

v f g. 3 is an outline of 'a blank fromwhich the container maybe made, i i

Fig, 4 is a perspective front view of the' top of the 'container fat n intermediate point in the formation of thecontainer.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse e tion taken along the plane VV of 1, showin the arrangement ofv the folds when the container is l fie If Fig; 6 is, an enlarged plan view, of the, top of the container and illustrates a position pren r t the ri nin o he n a r Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the top of the container showing the pouring spout .in en po i io 1 Fig. is a side'elevation 'of the spout in open position; j r e v The container generally indicated at l in Fig. 1 maybe best understood by considering the blank shown in Fig; *3." unitary blank includes the'front plane 2,'the rear panel 3 and the 'side panels 4 and 5. Qne o f the, side panels may be provided with a pl mbed-out opening; such as the onef indicated at 6, the opening extending vertically of the package. A sheet of transparent or translucent material 1 of larger area than the area of the opening 6 may be pasted on the inner surface of the blank so as to cover' the area of the opening. Tabs 8,9, l0 and Il may extendfrom the lower edges of the panels 2, 3, 4 and 5, these tabs being adapted to overlap and fo'rmthe bottom of the package. ,One of the vertically extending marginaledges of the blank may be provided with a tab I2 adapted to be attached to atropposing longitudinal or vertical edge of the blankso as to connect the edges of the blank and form the enclosing walls.

For example, the tab l2 may overlie the edge of panel 3 and be attached thereto bya suitable adhesive; thermoplastic material or the like.

The upper'portion of the blank is provided with a pair of tabs, one of said upper tabs being substantially as wide as three adjacent'walls. Such wide tab is generally indicated. at 1'4 and it will be seen that this, tab'is an upward extension of the wallet, 4 andd; 1

In the example given, the pouring spout will be immediately above the wall panel 2 and the tab l4 extends continuouslyover the. panels 4, 2 The height of the tab l4. (above the scored line is one-half the width of the front panel 2. It is to be understood that the panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 are delineated by score lines or fold lines, such as the lines l6, ll, i8, i9, 2B, 2!, etc.

That panel, which in the package will be opposite the pouring panel (in the instant case, panel 3), is provided with a tab 23 which is of sufiicient length to cover the entire top of the package. The length of the tab 23, therefore, is equivalent to the individual width of the side panels 4 and 5. The outer end of the tab 23 may be heavily scored or even slit as indicated at 2d and may be provided with diagonal score lines 25 and 25, the angle between the score line 25 and the longitudinal edge 27 of the tab 23 being slightly less than 45, the score lines 25 and 26 meeting at the inner end of the score line or slit 24.

The outer edge 28 of the tab I4 is slightly concave between longitudinal extensions of score lines J7 and I8 delineating the edges of the front pouring panel 2. In other'worda'the edge28' between the .points 29 and 3G isslightly concave as shown. Diagonal score lines 3! and 32 are formed in the tab portion immediately above the upper score line 29 and between the score lines I! and [8. These score lines 3.l"a1id'32 do not intersect at the edge of the tab, but instead should be slightly spaced, this spacing being due to the fact that even thoughthe scorelinesiil and 32 are at 45 to each other and to the score line 20, they do not intersect at the edgebecause of the concave formation thereof.

Additional score lines 33 and 3*! are formed in the blank from the intersection of thescore line 20 and the lines .i'! and. [,8 definingthe side of the panel 2, theses'cor e lines 33'and 3% being outwardly' directed at'approximately 45 into the tab portions immediately above the side panels a and 5 respectively.

A complete package is then formed from the blank, the blank first being folded upon the vertical or longitudinally extending score lines it,

l1, l8, etc., and the tab I2 being attached or connected to the edge portion of theopposing margin of the blank. The topof the package is then formed by bending the tab portion M inwardly as shown in Fig. 4 along the score lines l5 and 2E] and along the. score lines 33 3!, 32 and 3 When this tab portion hi is folded inwardly, theupper edge 28 will thus come into abutting relation with itself, "extensions of the score linesJ'i and I8 being then inalignment, with and immediatelyabove thefold established by the score line 20.

thumbnail or'other instrumentis; inserted .be-j

neaththe folded-over portion above the front panel '2 asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. As previously stated, 24 maybe either a slit orgsimply a series of perforations constituting the fore mation of a'slit' iii the triangular tabs formed. The triangular portions delineated between score lines 24', 25 and 26, together with the adhering The longer rear tab 23 is then cemented onto the surface thus formed by the folded tab 28.

triangular portions delineated by score lines 33 and the extensions of ll and 34 and the extension of [8, may then be lifted into position indicated in Fig. 6. By folding these triangular portions, generally indicated in Fig. 6 by the numerals 4B and 4|, upwardly and beyond a plane in which these triangular portions are perpendicular to the top of the package, the triangular spout portion generally indicateolat 42, will either pop up or may be pulled out and will snap into the open position indicated in Figs. '7 and 8. In order to facilitate the raising of the pouring spout into open position, a lifting means, such as a 'staple 43, maybe provided in spout portion 52,

the staple being capable of engagement by a fingernail so as to facilitate raising the pouring spout into position.

After a suitable amount of the contents of the package has been discharged through the spout, the pouring spout 52 may be pressed back into place, whereupon the resiliency of the paper, board or ,othermaterial from which the container is made, will retain the member 42 in closed or locked position. Moreover, it is to be understood that the paper or board along the score lines 3| and His folded over onto itself when the spout is .closed, the entire arrangement acting as a toggle to hold the spout closed.

The quality of the bendable material employed in making the container of this invention will depend somewhat upon the characteristics and properties of the product packaged therein. In the event-the product is somewhat hygroscopic, the interior surface of the container (or the interior surface of the blank) may .be coated with a suitable moisture-proof or moisture-resistant coating as, for example, sodium silicate or certain of the resinous materials available for such purposes. The exterior surface of the container or blank.may also. be lacquered or coated in any suitable manner. Portions of the outer surface of tab I4 immediately above the side walls 4 and 5 may be coated with thermoplastic materials and the inner surface of tab 23may also be coated with a thermoplastic material so as to cause the tab to. adhere tothe underlying portions of the tab M. 1

Those skilled in the art of container manufacture will readily appreciate-the numerous modifications and changes which can be made in adaptingthe present invention to various commercial uses. 7

I claim:

1. In a container having four side walls delineated by fold lines wa, single tab extending from three contiguous .walls thereof, said tab being folded inwardly into a plane transverse to the side walls along foldlines common to said tab and side walls and along extensions of fold lines separating side walls, to place th upperedge of said tab in abutting and contiguous relation to itself, portions of said tab being in face to face relation and other portions in back to back relation, a lifting means carried by the tab adjacent the central of said three Walls, said lifting means said tab being folded inwardly into a plane transverse to the side walls along fold lines common to said tab, side walls and intermediate end wall and along extensions of fold lines separating said side walls and intermediate end wall to place the upper edge of said tab in contiguous abutting relation with itself, and a separate s cond tab extending from the other end wall and unconnected to the first tab, said second tab being folded to overlie said first mentioned folded tab and attached thereto.

3. In a container having two end and two side walls delineated by fold lines: a single tab extending from said side walls and an end wall, said tab being folded inwardly into a plane transverse to the side walls along fold lines common to said tab, side walls and intermediat end wall and along extensions of fold lines separating said side walls and intermediate end wall to place the upper edge of said tab in abutting relation with itself; a second tab, separate from th first named tab, extending from the other end wall and folded to overlie said first mentioned folded tab and bonded thereto and a lifting means carried by the tab adjacent the intermediate end wall, said lifting means being covered by folded portions of said tab, said folded portions being liftable to expose said lifting means whereby the portion of the first tab adjacent the intermediate end wall may be raised out of a plane transverse to the side walls.

4. A container provided with an integral collapsible spout, said container being formed from a single blank of bendable material provided with fold lines delineating a plurality of walls, said container including a tab extending from three of said walls, said tab being folded inwardly into a plane transverse to the side walls along fold lines common to said tab, side walls and intermediate end wall and along extensions of fold lines separating said sid walls and intermediate end wall to place th upper edge of said tab in abutting relation with itself and a separate second tab extending from the other end wall and folded to overlie said first mentioned folded tab and attached thereto.

5. A container provided with an integral collapsible spout, said container being formed from a single blank of bendable material provided with fold lines delineating a plurality of walls, said container including a tab extending from three of said walls, said tab being of a width equivalent to the width of said three walls, said tab being folded inwardly into a plane transverse to the side walls along fold lines common to said tab, side walls and intermediate end wall and along extensions of fold lines separating said side walls and intermediate end wall to place the upper edge of said tab in abutting relation with itself; a separate second tab extending from the other end wall and folded to overlie said first mentioned folded tab and attached thereto, the length of the second tab being equal to the width of a side wall, and a lifting means carried by the tab adjacent the intermediate end wall, said lifting means being covered by folded portions of said tab, said folded portions being liftable to expose said lifting means whereby the portion of the first tab adjacent the intermediate end wall.

may be raised out of a plane transverse to the sid walls.

6. A container blank of bendable material provided with fold lines delineating a plurality of walls; bottom tabs carried by the blank and adapted to be folded into overlapping relation to form the bottom of the container; and a pair of upper tabs carried by the upper portion of the blank, one of said upper tabs being substantially as Wide as three adjacent walls and having a virtually straight outer edge definin'g'a height substantially one half the width of the central of said three Walls; fold lines in said wide tab in ali'gnmentwith the fold lines indicating th margins of the central Wall; a fold line extendingfrom each upper corner of said central wall toward the central portion of the edge of the tab, the central portion of said tab edge being slightly concave, the second of said upper tabs being substantially as high as th width of one of said side walls.

7 A container blank of bendable material provided with fold lines delineating a plurality of Walls; bottom tabs carried by the blank and adapted to be folded into overlapping relation to form the bottom of the container; and a pair of upper tabs carried by the upper portion of the blank, one of said upper tabs being substantially as wide as three adjacent walls and having a virtually straight outer edge defining a height substantially one half the width of the central of said three walls; fold lines in said wide tab in alignment with thefold lines indicating th margins of the central wall; a fold line extending from each upper corner of said central wall toward the central portion of the edge of the tab, a lifting means carried by the tab between said fold lines above the central wall, said lifting means not extending beyond the edge of said tab, the second of said upper tabs extending from the fourth Wall and being substantially as high as the width of one of said side walls.

8. A container blank of bendable material provided with fold lines delineating a plurality of walls; bottom tabs carried by the blank and adapted to be folded into overlapping relation to form the bottom of the container; and a pair of upper tabs carried by the upper portion of the blank, one of said upper tabs being substantially as wide as three adjacent walls and having a virtually straight outer edge defining a height substantially one half the width of the central of said three walls; fold lines in said widetab in alignment with the fold lines indicating the margins of the central wall; a fold line extending from each upper corner of said central wall towardthe central portion of the edge of the tab, the ends of said fold lines at said edge being spaced from each other, the second of said upper tabs being separate from the first named tab and being substantially as high as the Width of said side walls, said first upper tab being adapted to be folded inwardly along fold lines common to said tab and side walls to place the upper edge of said tab in abutting relation with itself in a plane substantially transverse to the side walls,

said second tab being adapted to be folded to overlie the first mentioned folded tab for attachment thereto.

9. A container blank of bendable material provided with fold lines delineating a plurality of,

walls; bottom tabs carried by the blank and adapted to be folded into overlapping relation to form the bottom of the container; and a pair of upper tabs carried by the upper portion of the mm each up F Q fi i n ra we .0- ward the central portion of the edge of the tab, the ends of said fold lines at said edge being sp ced imm a oth r a lif m a q i by the tab between said fold lines above the central wall, the second' of said upper tahs being unconnected to the first tab and substantially as high as the width of one of said side Walls, said first upper tab being adapted to be folded inwardly along fold lines common to saidtab and side wallsito place the upper edge of said tab in abutting relation with itself in a plane substantially transverse to the side walls, said second tab being adapted to be folded to completely overlie the first mentioned folded tab for attachment thereto.

CARLO RAY. 

